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(No Model.) 2 Sheets8heet 1. T. M. SPILMAN. EGG TESTER.-

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EGG TESTER. No. 543,970; Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS M. SPILMAN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

EGG-TESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,970, dated August6, 1895.

Application filed March 26, 1 895- To aZZ whom it may concern.-

- Be it known that I, THOMAS M. SPILMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a newand usefulEgg-Tester, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to facilitate the handling ofeggs during the testing and packing process, and enable such operationbeing performed, with ease and dispatch with a minimum of danger of lossby breakage of the eggs.

The improvement consists essentially of a carrier provided withspring-holders, whereby the eggs are held in a positive manner afterbeing placed in the carrier, thereby enabling the latter to be invertedover the filler or nest when packing the eggs in the case, and anejector in combination with the carrier to force the eggs from thespring-holders of the carrier into the said filleror the nest.

The improvement also consists of the novel construction of thespring-holders. and the peculiar formation of the ejectors, whereby alight and durable carrier is provided, and whereby the testing will notbe interfered with by the casting of deep shadows upon the egg, whichwould result from providing'ejectors other than those of skeleton form.

The improvement also further consists of the novel features-andcombinations of the parts, which hereinafter will be more fully described and claimed, and which are illustrated in theaccompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of anegg-tester constructed in accordance with and embodying the essentialfeatures of the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, parts beingbroken away,-of the tester, showing the egg-carrier supported in ahorizontal position. Fig. 3. is a detail view, in section, of theegg-carrier, showing it inverted and the operation of the ejectors bydotted lines when forcing the eggs from the spring-holders of thecarrier into the receptacles of the packing-case. Fig. 4 is adetail viewof a portion of the carrier, showing the manner of bracing the same andproviding the spring-holders. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modified formof carrier-top showing the openings therein provided with an elasticsupporting-ledge, whereby a close fit is bad between the eggs and theedges-of the open- Serial No. 543,240. (No model.)

ings toexclude rays of light andprevent injurious contact of the eggswith the said carrier-top. Fig. 6 is a detail view of an ejector. Thetester comprises a box or case 1 and a carrier 2, the latter beingadapted to receive the eggs to be tested, and by means of which theeggs, after being inspected, are transferred to the packing-case.

The case or box is closed at its bottom, sides, back, and top, the frontbeing open and the top 3 terminating at its front edge at a point aboutmidway between the front and rear of the case; Strips 4 incline from thefront edge of the top 3 downwardly and forwardly to within a shortdistance of the front edge of the case-bottom, and are joined at theirlower ends by means of a transverse strip 5. The frame 6 is hinged atits upper end to the front edge portion of the top 3, and is adapted tobe supported upon the inclined strips 4 when lowered. This frame isadapted to receive the carrier? during the process of filling the latterand testing the eggs. When filling the carrier the frame 6 is supportedin an approximately horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2, suitablepivoted catches 7 being provided for the purpose. A strip 8 is attachedto the swinging end of the frame 6, and is adapted to support thecarrier 2 and prevent the latter from slipping when the frame is loweredto the position shown in Fig. 1. A

stop 9 isapplied to the swinging edge of the frame 6, to be engaged bythe finger when it is required to raise and lower the frame, as will bereadily understood. The catches 7, for sustaining the frame 6 in anelevated position, are pivoted midway of their ends in slots formed inthe'front ends of strips 10, attached to the sides of the case and projecting above the latter a short distance. The precise form of catchesis immaterial, so long as-the catches will subserve the purpose ofsupporting the frame and carrier while the latter is filling.

Within the case is located one or more lamps 11, or otherlight-producing devices, by means of which the testing process isrendered feasible. In testers, as generally constructed, the means forproducing the light will be a lamp, and in order to carry off theproducts of combustion and heated air tubes 12 are located above thelamp-chimneys and are supported within openings provided in the top 3,said tubes having outer flanges 13, by means of which they are supportedwithin the openings through which the tubes extend.

The carrier 2 comprises a top 14 and a frame 15, and is provided withswinging handles 16 at diametricallybpposite points, whereby themanipulation of the carrier is rendered easy and convenient.

The top 14 may be of any suitable material suflicientlylight and strongto provide a neat and durable structure. Sheet metal has been foundpreferable for this purpose, as it is both light and strong, and admitsof the openings 17 being punched therein.

Spring-holders 18, approximately U shaped in side elevation, areprovided in pairs for each opening and located at diametrically-oppositepoints, so as to act jointly to grip and hold the eggs when placed inproper position upon the carrier. These spring-holders, in connectionwith the openings 17, retain the eggs in place against accidentaldisplacement on inverting the carrier to deposit the eggs in the nest orfiller of the packing-case.

The spring-holders may have any desired form so long as they effect theresult of securing the eggs in the openings 17, the construction shownbeing preferable because of lightness and enabling them to be formed ofwire of a single length, which is threaded through apertures in thecarrier-top.

The closed ends 19 of the spring-holders are slightly arched and curvedbetween the side members, so as to fit snugly against the sides of theeggs and centralize the latter in the openings 17 and prevent lateraldisplacement of the said eggs when inverting the carrier. A series ofrods 20 are placed in parallel relation between the rows of openings 17,and serve to brace and strengthen the top 14 and provide an anchoringfor the wires from which the spring-holders 18 are formed. In threadingthe wires in the formation of the spring-holders, the portions beneaththe top 1e are crossed, so as to embrace the sides of the rods 20 andenable the holders themselves to mutually brace one another. Thus itwill be seen that the contiguous spring-holders of adjacent rows ofopenings 17 are so disposed that the holders in a straight line willhave each alternate one formed of one Wire and the intermediate onesformed of a second wire, this being due to the crossing of the wiresover the rods 20, as will be readily understood.

A frame 21, comprising side bars 22 and cross-bars 23, is yieldinglyconnected with the frame 15, and carries the ejeetors 24., by means ofwhich the eggs are forced from the spring-holders of the carrier. Thecross-bars 23 are located immediately opposite the respective rows ofopenings 17, so that the active ends of the ejectors will operatecentrally of the said openings 17. Posts 25 depend from the corners ofthe frame 15 and operate through openings in the ends of the side bars22 and have stops 26 on their projecting ends to limit the movement ofthe frame 21 away from the frame 15. Springs 27 are mounted upon theposts 25, and are confined within the frames 15 and 21, and serve,normally, to hold the said frames separated. The ejeetors 24 have abroadhead 28 to insure an extended bearing upon the eggs to prevent injuriouscontact therewith when operating the ejectors to force the eggs from thecarrier in to the nest or filler.

In the preferable form of construction the ejectors are constructed fromwire, which is cut into the required lengths, one end of each lengthbeing bent into a ring which forms the head 28, and the other end beingsecured to the proper cross-bar 23 of the ejector-frame. By thisconstruction of ejector, wire of comparatively-light gage may be usedand very little surface is presented for obstructing the rays of lightand casting shadows upon the eggs. This is of vital importance in thesuccessfnl production of a tester of the character herein set forth,because should shadows be reflected,npon the eggs the purpose and objectof the invention would be defeated, as good eggs may be cast aside asbad by reason of the dark look given thereto if shadows existed.

When using the invention the carrier is placed upon the framed, thelatter being supported in a horizontal position, in the manner setforth. The eggs to be tested are placed upon the carrier and areretained in position by means of the spring-holders. After the carrieris filled it is lowered into the position shown in Fig. 1, when the eggsare observed from a point directly above, any bad or indilferent onesbeing readily detected in the ordinary manner. After the test has beenmade the carrier is detached from the frame -6, by means of the handles16, and is inverted over the filler or nest, when, by pressing upon theframe 21 by means of the thumb, the eggs will be forced from theirholders into the cells or pockets of the filler or nest, as will bereadily comprehended.

In order to secure a close joint between the edges of the openings 17and the sides of the eggs, so as to exclude rays of light and at thesame time prevent injurious contact of the eggs with the edge portionsof the openings 17, the latter have a projecting ledge 29 of rubber orother elastic material. This is pro vided in an economical Way bycovering the top 14: with a sheet of rubber or other elastic material,and forming openings therein of slightly less diameter than the openings17.

In order to meet the various demands of the trade it is obvious thatchanges in the form, proportion, and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In anegg tester, the combination with a carrier provided with spring holders,of a frame having yielding connection with the carrier, and individualejectors attached to the said frame and adapted to push the eggs fromtheir respective holders after the carrier has been inverted,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with an egg carrier having a series of openings, ofwires extending parallel with the rows of openings and threaded throughapertures in the said carrier, that portion of the wires between theapertures and opposite the openings in the carrier being upwardlydeflected and providing spring holders,substantially as set forth forthe purpose described.

3. The combination with an egg carrier formed of sheet material andhaving rows of openings, of a series of rods arranged in parallelrelation between the rows of openings and against the under side of thecarrier, and

I wires threaded through apertures in the carrier and having thatportion opposite the openings therein upwardly deflected to form springholders, the said wires crossing on the under side of the carrier andembracing the said rods, substantially as set forth for the purposedescribed. 7 Y

4. In an egg tester, the combination with a carrier having springholders, of a frame having yielding connection with thesaid carrier, andejectors formed from wire and having an open expanded head portion toengage with the eggs, substantially as described for the purpose setforth.

5. In an egg tester, the combination with a carrier provided with springholders and with swinging handles, of aframe comprising side and crossbars having yielding connection with the carrier, and individualejectors formed from wire and having open expanded end portions toengage with the eggs, and mounted upon the said cross bars, saidejectors being actuated to dislodge the eggs from the carrier afterthelatter has been inverted, substantially as'described for the purposeset forth.

6. An egg tester comprising a case having a hinged frame on its openside which when lowered assumesan inclined position, catches to sustainsaid frame in an elevated position, a carrier provided with springholders and ejectors, and adapted to be supported by the said hingedframe during the filling and testing operation, and heat-conductingtubes extending through the top of the case to carry off the heat andproducts of combustion, substantially as set forth. 7

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

T. M. SPILMAN.

WVitnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERS, E. G. SIGGERS.

